According to the findings of a recent study published in Journal of the American College of Cardiology, cardiovascular health of the obese can undergo a notable improvement if they lose some weight by eating less and undertaking more physical activity.

The two-year study, conducted by researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, found that weight loss in the obese improved some key measures of heart and vascular health – including improved pumping and relaxation functions of the heart; and decreased thickness of heart muscle as well as of the carotid artery walls.

For the study, the research team enrolled 60 people in a weight loss program. These people were aged between 22 and 64 years, and had body mass index of between 30 and 44. Putting the study participants on low-calorie diets, the researchers asked them to do ‘moderate’ exercise like walking for over three hours per week.

While 14 participants discontinued, the observation of the 46 remaining participants over a two-year-period revealed that in six months, they lost almost nine pounds on an average. In six months to one year, their hearts pumped blood and relaxed better, and the thickness of their heart muscles and artery walls also decreased. 

The researchers noted that even if the participants gained back some weight, the ‘moderate’ exercise’s positive impact on their heart continued for nearly two years.